Live Event Painting FAQs

What is the starting price for your live wedding paintings?

Live wedding paintings start at $1999, which will include an 18x24" canvas and all professional grade materials, all state and local taxes, live painting entertainment throughout your entire wedding beginning 3-4 hours before ceremony and concluding at the end of reception, plus 20+ hours additional painting time in my studio to fine-tune details and add all finishing touches.

What materials do you use for the artwork?

All materials used to create your painting are professional grade and archival quality, meant to preserve your artwork for generations. All live paintings are created on gallery wrapped cotton canvas, painted with Utrecht and Golden artist acrylics, and sealed with a matte varnish.

What if I want a canvas size that is not listed in your price packages?

Custom canvas sizes are available if you have a vision for your painting that goes beyond my listed package options. I cannot offer sizes smaller than 18x24", but if you want to go bigger than 30x40", tell me what you have in mind and I can use my existing packages as a baseline to give you a custom quote.

When will the painting be finished?

During your event, I will paint with the intent to complete as much of your painting as possible, given the timing and circumstances. More often than not, I will bring your painting back to my studio after the event has concluded, to ensure that it receives the highest attention to detail and the utmost level of quality that I can provide. Completion time will be dependent on my work schedule and the size/complexity of your canvas. Generally the goal for turnaround time is 6-8 weeks after the event date, or 8-12 weeks during peak wedding season and for custom canvas sizes that are larger than my base packages.

What is the payment schedule for my painting? Do you accept payment plans?

The first payment that you will make to secure your date in my calendar will be a $500 retainer/deposit. This retainer amount is part of the total, not in addition to the total. After the retainer is received, I am happy to work with you to plan a payment schedule that works best for you. The only requirement to this is that the remaining balance must be paid in full two weeks (14 days) before your event date.

Who pays for the shipping of the finished painting?

Packaging and shipping costs are not included in package prices and will be calculated upon completion of your painting. The client must pay for shipping of the finished work once an exact quote has been obtained at the post office, unless other arrangements are agreed upon between the client and myself. If the painting is local, arrangements can be made for free local pickup.

What if the painting is damaged or lost during the shipping process?

All packages will be shipped via USPS, and include some insurance when being sent to you with standard shipping. Insurance coverage for the full value of the package will cost extra, and will require me to get an exact insurance quote from the post office for you. It is up to you if you want your painting to be fully insured in case of loss or damage, in which case you would submit one final payment to me to cover the cost. I highly recommend choosing this option to protect your investment, as Big Day Paintings by Ashley Hayunga will not be responsible for any losses or damage to your painting after it leaves my studio.

My event is out of state/international. Do you travel?

Absolutely, I will gladly travel anywhere to come and paint for you! If your venue is more than 100 miles (1.5 hours) from my home by car, additional driving distance will be charged by the mile. Costs for airfare, rental car, and lodging (as needed) must be covered by the client if your venue is not within a reasonable driving distance. All of these options can be calculated during our initial consultation and factored into your package price before making any commitments.

Do you retain copyright of the image of my painting?

I will retain copyright of all digital images containing your finished painting, including the right to show the piece in my portfolio, website, exhibits, competitions, etc. You may request to remain anonymous when images of the painting are shared on my social media business pages and website, if you wish. There will be a section for privacy preferences outlined in my contract to address this. You are permitted to share images of your finished painting for personal and non-commercial use, including: photos on your social media pages and profiles, and reproduction for an office or other personal/public space. Please kindly provide attribution to Big Day Paintings by Ashley Hayunga each time you share the image of your finished painting for personal use.

Can I get a printed copy of my painting made?

Yes! I take professional photos of every finished painting, and these can be used to order canvas or paper prints if desired. You may request this extra service any time after your painting is complete.

Do you do framing?

All live paintings are created on a gallery wrapped canvas that do not require framing. The edges will be painted for a clean presentation while hanging, and the surface will be sealed with varnish for a protective finish. You may choose to have your painting framed after you have received it, but it will arrive to you ready to hang as-is after leaving my studio.

Do I get to choose the scene or moment from my wedding that I want you to paint?

Yes, this is YOUR big day painting and you get to choose the moment that you want to capture on canvas forever! There are so many iconic moments to choose from, such as the ceremony vows, first kiss, ceremony exit down the aisle, first dance, etc. I can even take photos of poses during your first looks or cocktail hour and incorporate them into the scene of your choosing, if you like. I will chat with you during our consultation and help you decide on the scene that is most important to you.

Can I choose who I want featured in the painting? Does it cost more for extra people?

Every package will feature you and your partner in fine detail, and some packages include limited amounts of mixed onlookers in the background. Recognizable portraits of important family members and guests of honor can be added for a small fee per person. If those individuals will be present at the wedding, I will arrange for a designated person to gather them to meet with me before the ceremony for five minutes, so I can take reference photos of them for the painting.

My parent/ grandparent/ dogs etc. cannot attend my wedding, but I would like them to be in the picture as if they were there on the day. Can you include them?

Sometimes our loved ones sadly cannot be there in person to celebrate with us on the big day. Luckily, I can still incorporate them into the painting by using your personal photos of them that will be collected before the event date. Tell me a little bit about how you would like them to be included into your painting and I will work my magic.

Will you paint my LGBTQ+ wedding?

Absolutely, yes! I want to paint every love story- all shapes, sizes, colors, and representations. Every single one of you deserves to have your happily ever after and precious love preserved for all time.

In case my venue asks- Do you have liability insurance?

Big Day Paintings by Ashley Hayunga is insured for up to $1,000,000 in liability insurance coverage. Certificate of insurance can be supplied to the venue upon request.

Due to unforeseen circumstances, I have to cancel or postpone my event date. I already paid my deposit, so what happens now?

In the event of your wedding/party cancellation, or postponement to a date that is unavailable in my calendar, your prepaid deposit will be applied to a studio commissioned painting instead of a live painting. 

You (the artist) can no longer paint my wedding because of an unexpected personal circumstance. What happens to my deposit now?

The ONLY circumstance in which your prepaid deposit will be fully reimbursed, is if I experience an unexpected illness, family emergency, or unavoidable delay in transit that prevents me from providing my service at your event. If any of these happen to me, I will refund the full amount that you have paid for your painting. I will also do my best to reach out to fellow live event artists who could possibly cover for my sudden absence, though this is not a guarantee.

My big day has already passed- can you still paint my favorite moment from it?

It's never too late to recreate your favorite memory from the happiest day of your life! If I could not be present to paint live on your big day, I can still create a beautiful painting in my studio using your professional photographs. Please visit my Studio Commissions section for more info on how to order a custom painting from a photo.